I considered both that and ‘”can” is a hollow noun’, both of which sound better, but since at least half the point of the joke is deliberate literal-mindedness I felt that what I said should be literally correct. (A can is not a noun, though “can” is; “can” is not hollow, though a can is.) Others’ mileage may of course vary.
Coincidentally, a can is a hollow object.
Would have been funnier if you had said,
Voted up anyway. I like that sort of humor.
I considered both that and ‘”can” is a hollow noun’, both of which sound better, but since at least half the point of the joke is deliberate literal-mindedness I felt that what I said should be literally correct. (A can is not a noun, though “can” is; “can” is not hollow, though a can is.) Others’ mileage may of course vary.
Ah. I agree. I hadn’t noticed the difference between ‘a can’ and can.